Tone Control Strat

Glaw343

Hey there everyone, I was wondering if somebody could tell me if there is a difference in sound between chaining a master tone control off the 5 way selector or from either lug 1 or 2 of the volume control? cheers  

Funkfingers

The theoretical difference is down to whether the resistance track of the pot influences the portion of your signal being filtered to ground via the capacitor. Perhaps, if the volume pot is cheap rubbish, it could introduce signal loss.

On the Telecaster circuit, it is conventional to connect to lug #1. 

On a Stratocaster-derived circuit, there is an argument for connecting to the same "common/wiper" terminal on the selector switch as you use to send the pickup signals to the volume pot. This is my recommendation if your circuit includes a Treble bypass network across lugs 1 and 2 of the volume pot. 

Glaw343

Hey Funkfingers, cheers for the reply, I am using two CTS 250k 450 vintage series pots which I think are pretty decent pots with a 0.22 WD Music paper in oil capacitor, I am also using a Duncan style treble bleed across lugs 1 and 2 of the volume pot, what is the idea behind connecting them to the same common?

ICBM

There's no difference between connecting it to the switch or to the top terminal of the volume control - that's just opposite ends of the same piece of wire. There is a difference if you connect it to the middle terminal, that then becomes equivalent to Gibson '50s' wiring. If you have a treble-pass network this doesn't work as well so it's best connected to the top terminal, as Funkfingers said.

For what it's worth, if you have just a master tone control, connect the two sides of the switch in parallel (4 wires connecting the matching contacts on each side - remembering that the rotor is at the opposite end on the two sides of a standard CRL-type switch) so they're both doing exactly the same thing - this will increase reliability and reduce switching noise.

Glaw343

won't it do that if I just connect the two commons together? also if I were to remove the treble bleed, what difference would it make having the 50s wiring? would i have to change the way I wire the tone pot? cheers

ICBM

Glaw343 said:

won't it do that if I just connect the two commons together?

No, you need to connect the three individual pickup terminals on each side together as well, so the switch is doing exactly the same thing on both sides. That sounds redundant, and it is - that's the point (and the correct term) - the idea is that if one side of the switch makes a bad contact - even momentarily - the other side will keep the connection made, so you also tend to get less switching noise as well as preventing a failure.

Ideally, you should always connect spare switch poles like this because it increases reliability for no penalty (other than labour).

Glaw343 said:

also if I were to remove the treble bleed, what difference would it make having the 50s wiring? would i have to change the way I wire the tone pot? cheers

Treble *pass* . Treble bleed is what the tone control does. (Yes, I know it's the internet term... )

Removing it and connecting the tone control to the middle will also slightly increase treble as you turn the volume control down, but not as much. But it also makes the controls more interactive, so if the tone control is set lower than the volume it will *reduce* treble faster.

You don't need to change the tone control, the only thing that matters is where it's connected on the volume control. Some 50s wiring schemes do use a different tone pot connection but it doesn't make any difference.

Glaw343

Thanks a lot ICBM, I understand what you mean now, I'll make sure to do that would you recommend using the 50s wiring method on a strat? I suppose if I were to use that I could eliminate the need for a treble bypass circuit? cheers

ICBM

I don’t really think the ‘50s’ wiring works well on Fenders - I’m not really sure why. Treble pass is better.

Although personally I’m not a huge fan of it on Gibsons either... 

Glaw343

Great, thanks a lot I'll stick with the treble pass then